Jaywick is to get its own parish and parish council next year in a bid to unite the community under one banner.

But the announcement sparked a furious debate with councillors split over the decision.

The way for a parish council has been cleared by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott - with no more consultation to be carried out.

Provided everything goes to plan, the council should be in place by April 1 next year.

Tendring councillors last night agreed the make-up of the new body to represent Jaywick, with two parish councillors for Brooklands and Grasslands, six for Golf Green and seven for Tudor.

The final proposal will be put forward to be rubberstamped.

But the plan aimed at uniting the resort was christened with a war of words in the council chamber between the two Tendring councillors who represent the area on the district council.

Roy Smith (Lab, Golf Green) was unhappy with the way the issue had been handled. He claimed he had been snubbed and said: "I am refusing to vote on this

"There should be a full referendum for the people of Jaywick. This has been done behind my back."

He found backing from Philip Vanner (Ind, Southcliff) who said a referendum was only fair and proper.

But Joyce Fluin (Lab, Golf Green) said Mr Smith had been told at the outset that she was raising a petition to press for a parish council - and claimed he did not want to know about it. "I am very pleased the idea of the parish council is going forward," she said.

The aim of the parish council is to bring together factions within Jaywick and give them representation on their own body.

Rose Lawes (Lab, Walton) said the argument between Mr Smith and Mrs Fluin was doing nothing to help the process.

And Cornelius Olivier (Lab, Brightlingsea East) said: "You would think we were talking about West Belfast - not Jaywick - the way this is going."

Councillors on the community committee heard that the petition calling for a parish council was signed by 416 people. However, there had also been one objecting to it from 527.

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